Sarah Ochranek (Cronk) (M.S., Eit) Email & Phone Number

Phoenix, Az, Us

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

In this role I have provided comprehensive support for the Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership Environmental Services Project at the U.S. DOE Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, focusing on the Sitewide Groundwater Strategy and PFAS screening assessment. I continue to support due diligence projects in Nashville and Middle Tennessee.Technical skills developed during this role include:- Federal regulatory knowledge- Environmental sampling and groundwater monitoring- Risk Assessment- PFAS Site AssessmentBusiness and social skills developed during this role include:- Project management- Project delivery- Quality assurance/Quality control- Team communication- Adaptability

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

I transitioned from an environmental lab into traditional environmental consulting, where I supported subject matter experts for the Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership Environmental Services Project. My focus was on the Sitewide Groundwater Strategy at the U.S. DOE Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. In addition to federal projects, I conducted local due diligence field visits and provided field support for different groundwater sampling events.

Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

In this position, I leveraged my expertise in geochemistry and environmental engineering for SiREM, an environmental laboratory specializing in environmental tools that optimize remediation efforts. I supervised our team in Knoxville, TN, where we conducted treatability studies for various industries, including oil & gas, railroads, manufacturing, drinking water, industrial and municipal wastewater, landfills, and mining. Additional roles during this position included membership to the career pathing advisory committee, the Geosyntec Metals Practice Group steering committee, and the Canadian Operations Research and Development Committee.Technical skills developed during this role include:- Experimental design- Research and development- Molecular biology (DNA extraction from wastewater and saliva, qPCR, cell culture)- Water chemistry and water quality measurements- Media sampling and handlingBusiness and social skills developed during this role include: - Operational management- Quality assurance/Quality control- Project management- Team building and staff training and development- Problem-solving- Proposal writing

Acton, Massachusetts

As a member of the groundwater practice in Geosyntec, I aided in groundwater assessment and remediation projects. Field experience during this role included groundwater purging, sampling, and monitoring, wastewater sampling, and soil vapor intrusion monitoring.

State College, Pennsylvania Area

I applied my growing knowledge of plant biology to experiments involving plant genomes and G protein cell signaling, expanding my experience in molecular biology benchwork and plant physiological assays.Additionally, I coordinated operational and managerial activities in the lab. I ensured compliance with laboratory safety and pesticide safety guidelines, managed ordering, inventory, storage, and maintenance of supplies and instruments. I also took the initiative to hire and supervise undergraduate research assistants.

State College, Pennsylvania Area

I began my role in the Dr. Sally Assmann's lab by managing a team of nine researchers across three research spaces, including two general wet labs and a Conviron plant chamber lab.In this position, I gained experience in preparing the workspace and staff for compliance with university and state-wide regulatory requirements. To minimize hazards in the lab, I established a compatible chemical storage group system and implemented cloud storage and sharing for standard operating procedures (SOPs), inventory, and various manuals. Additionally, I honed my troubleshooting skills by maintaining and programming various instruments and equipment in the lab, including six walk-in chambers.

State College, Pennsylvania Area

I completed yoga teacher training (RYT-200) with Erica Kaufman and the Lila Yoga Institute. I previously taught classes at Lila Yoga Studios. I also teach outside the studio for private and community events.

State College, Pennsylvania

I completed an M.S. in Environmental Engineering under the mentorship of Dr. Christopher A. Gorski.My thesis project focused on the stability of iron oxide-organic carbon associations in peatland soils. Sudden changes in the redox regimes of peatlands can trigger significant fluxes of organic carbon into surrounding environments, eventually converting into carbon dioxide. While it is well-established that organic carbon sorbs and precipitates with iron oxides, the strength of these interactions, particularly in response to hydrological or electrochemical changes, remains poorly understood. To investigate these interactions, we sampled boreal peatland soils to extract organic carbon and a local microbial community for incubation experiments with synthesized ferrihydrite. I gained hands-on experience in collecting and preserving soil samples, extracting dissolved soil organic carbon, culturing microbial communities, and synthesizing iron oxides. Additionally, I designed and conducted long-term incubation experiments, tracking carbon dioxide evolution using gas chromatography and measuring changes in the dissolved fraction with a Total Organic Carbon Analyzer. I monitored changes in iron oxides over the incubation period using 57-Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy and TEM/STEM imaging. Furthermore, I gained experience in community DNA isolation (16S rRNA analysis) and processing raw data with QIIME and R.These experiments were conducted at the Kappe Laboratories at Pennsylvania State University. More information on the Gorski Research Group at: http://www.engr.psu.edu/ce/enve/gorski/

Tempe, Arizona

For my senior honors thesis, I examined the (U-Th)/He geochronology of baked sediments within the San Francisco Volcanic Field in order to establish ages of various eruptions.I was responsible for picking appropriate sample sites using satellite and topographic maps and field assessments. After sample collecting, I retrieved zircon and apatite through mechanical processes involving the use of a rock crusher, wet sieve, Frantz magnetic separator and heavy liquid separation. Final processing involved grain-picking with the aid of a stereoscope to the prepare sample grains for analysis on a quadropole mass spectrometer and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICPMS). Experiments were conducted at the Noble Gas Geochronology and Geochemistry Lab (NG3L) at Arizona State under the guidance of Dr. Kip Hodges and Dr. Matthijs van Soest.More information on the KVH Group at: http://tectonics.asu.edu/

Ladakh, India

I was invited to assist with fieldwork for the National Science Foundation Continental Dynamics Project in the Transhimalayan Orogenic System of northwest India. The project and subsequent publication aimed to assess the correlation of a suture zone in the Southern Tibetan Plateau across major post-suturing transcurrent faults. During this venture, I trekked through remote regions, uncovering new geological insights through structural mapping, remote sensing techniques, and sample collection. Samples were later processed using U-Pb geochronology, 40Ar/39Ar, and (U-Th)/He thermochronology and trace element geochemistry.

Phoenix, Arizona And Sonora, Mexico

I participated in the US-Mexico Water and Environmental Sustainability (UMB-WEST) campaign, an initiative aimed at understanding hydrology through the lenses of science, culture, and policy. This one-month research program provided valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of watersheds along the US-Mexico border, revealing complexities that extend far beyond hydrological science.I worked under the direction of Dr. Enrique Vivoni and his group. More information on their hydrology group: http://hydrology.asu.edu/wiki/index.php/Home_page

Master Of Science (M.S.), Environmental Engineering

Activities and Societies: Student Association of Environmental Science and Engineering (Treasurer)

Bachelor Of Science, Earth And Space Exploration: Geosciences

Activities and Societies: Model United Nations, Geology Club (Treasurer and President)